 | UTAH (9-3) vs. CALIFORNIA (8-4)
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ET
ESPN |  |
INSIDE THE CAMPS
UTAH
If the Utes have a secret formula for their recent bowl success, they aren't revealing it.
Utah (9-3) looks for its third 10-win season in the past six years when it faces California (8-4) in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Utes are also seeking to extend the nation's longest bowl winning streak, which stands at eight games.
"I think it's the players work ethic and the way the approach the bowl," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told the Deseret Morning News. "It's a reward, but at the same time, they view it as an opportunity to win another game."
The streak just makes the opportunity more special.
"It's motivation, definitely. To have the longest streak in the nation, that's a big deal," senior safety Joe Dale told the Deseret Morning News. "It says a lot about our coaches, our program and the way we prepare. We just want to keep that going."
In fact, part of the Utes' success has been the veterans' ability to get across the importance of that responsibility to the younger players.
"I don't want to go down as the quarterback that loses it," true freshman Jordan Wynn said to the Morning News. "So I'm doing all I can to win our bowl game."
The Utes will have held seven practices specifically for the Bears by the time the bowl game takes place. The sessions will be especially beneficial to Wynn, who got a chance to step back and do some drill work with the offense without having to rush into game-preparation mode. He was thrust into the starting lineup in week eight.
California, even without star running back Jahvid Best down the stretch, remains persistent with the running game with Best's replacement, Shane Vereen.
Utah, which has been susceptible against the run, must force the Bears to go through the air to try to move the football. The Utes have the speed in the secondary to stay with Cal, and if they can shut down the running game, they'll have a huge advantage.
CAL
The status of Cal running back Jahvid Best, who missed the final three regular-season games with a concussion, remained unclear as of Dec. 13, but the Bears were soon expected to make a decision as to whether he would play in the Dec. 23 Poinsettia Bowl.
Best began running and other conditioning work the week of Dec. 7, but he still had not participated in any football practices through Dec. 12.
It suggests that if Best plays at all, it would be in a limited role, and Cal coach Jeff Tedford hinted strongly that Shane Vereen would be his starting tailback whether or not Best is ready to return.
Tedford knows what it takes to win postseason games, and something has got to give between the two head coaches in the Poinsettia Bowl, because Tedford and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham are two of the most successful postseason coaches in the country.
Whittingham has yet to lose a bowl game as a head coach, winning bowls in each of his first four seasons as the Utes' head man, including last season's 31-17 Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
Tedford is 5-1 in bowls as a head coach, all at Cal, and also has won a bowl game each of the past four years.
His only postseason loss came in the 2004 Holiday Bowl, when his No. 4-ranked Bears, deflated after being squeezed out of the Rose Bowl by the BCS formula, lost to Texas Tech 45-31.
The more significant coach in Poinsettia Bowl, though, is Cal offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, who was Utah's offensive coordinator the previous four seasons and should have a pretty good handle on the Utes' style and personnel.
"It's an interesting dynamic to the game for sure," Whittingham told the Deseret News. "I think it probably works both ways. He knows our defensive schemes inside and out, but obviously we're well-versed in his offense."
It seems to be more of an advantage to Cal, because the Bears offense is primarily Tedford's offense, although Ludwig has added a few wrinkles. But Ludwig should be well acquainted with Utah's defense and its offensive personnel.
Ludwig does not have much inside information on Utah's freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn, however. Wynn arrived at Utah after Ludwig had left and was recruited primarily by Ludwig's successor as Utah's offensive coordinator, Dave Schramm.
Wynn started the Utes' final four games after replacing Terrance Cain, and Wynn will start the Poinsettia Bowl. Wynn had been bothered by a sprained ankle sustained in the final regular-season game against BYU on Nov. 28, but he reported that his ankle was completely healed by Dec. 10.
He is one of the keys to the game and will test the Cal secondary, which has had more than its share of problems this season. Wynn's completion percentage is mediocre (54.5 percent), and in his past three starts, he has completed just 50.5 percent of his passes with two interceptions and two touchdown passes while being sacked four times.
Wynn does offer the Utes a deep threat, though, and that could cause problems for the Bears. Cal allowed Washington's Jake Locker to complete 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in Cal's final regular-season game, a 41-10 loss on Dec. 5.
KEY MATCHUPS
Utah WR David Reed vs. Cal CB Syd'Quan Thompson.
Reed was a first-team all-Mountain West selection who led the conference in receiving yards with 1,085. Cal typically does not assign a particular cornerback to cover a particular receiver, but defensive coordinator Bob Gregory has done it on occasion. This may be one of those times, because Thompson is the team's best defensive player and by far its best coverage man.
Cal run defense vs. Utah RB Eddie Wide.
Wide became the Utes' primary ballcarrier after Matt Asiata tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the fourth game and was lost for the season. Wide ended up being named all-conference after leading the Mountain West in rushing yardage with 1,032 yards (second in rushing yardage per game) and touchdowns with 13. Utah's best player is OT Zane Beadles, who will make things difficult for Cal's all-conference DE Tyson Alualu to get penetration and stop Wide quickly. The Bears run defense limited the best two running backs it faced: Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers had just 67 yards on 25 carries against Cal, with 24 of his yards coming on one touchdown run with seven minutes left that that made the score 31-7. And Stanford's Toby Gerhart had 136 yards against the Bears, but just 70 came after his 61-yard scoring run on the game's third play.
Cal RB Shane Vereen vs. Utah's run defense.
Even if Jahvid Best plays, Shane Vereen will be the Bears' chief ball-carrier, and he has rushed for 444 yards on 88 carries in his three starts, averaging 148 yards per game and 29 carries in those three. When Vereen is successful running, Cal QB Kevin Riley is more effective because the Bears become more of a ball-control team. Vereen is a more effective inside runner than Best, but Utah's best defensive player is DT Koa Misi, an all-conference player who led all Mountain West defensive linemen in tackles and also had 4.5 sacks. Overall, the Utes are just average against the run, yielding 116 yards to BYU's Harvey Unga and 152 to Oregon's LaMichael James. However, like most teams, they will crowd the line of scrimmage hoping to stop Vereen and make Riley try to beat them.
Utah LT Zane Beadles vs. California DL Tyson Alualu.
Beadles is the Utes' best lineman, and he'll have his hands full against the stout Alualu, who has 60 tackles, including 7.5 sacks. With Beadles as the anchor, the Utes have surrendered just 17 sacks. Protection is key for Utah with true freshman Jordan Wynn playing his first postseason game.
NAMES TO KNOW
UTAH
QB Jordan Wynn -- Despite missing some early practices with a sprained ankle, the true freshman will benefit from extended practice with the first-team offense in preparation for the bowl game. He gives the Utes more of a downfield threat in the passing game but has to improve upon his 54.7-percent accuracy to keep the offense in sync.
RB Eddie Wide -- He has been limited in carries throughout the season so he would stay fresh after he replaced the injured Matt Asiata in week four. He might see more touches, as long as he doesn't get winded. Coach Kyle Whittingham suggested as much after Wide logged 24 carries against Wyoming in week eight.
DE Koa Misi -- He earned all-conference honors, logging 65 tackles, including 4.5 sacks, and forcing three fumbles. Other than the fumbles, however, Misi didn't do a lot to change the complexion of games through the course of the season.
MLB Mike Wright -- Some were surprised by his exclusion from the first- and second all-conference teams. He had 77 tackles, two interceptions and three forced fumbles in the regular season. His barrier is the strength of his teammates that prevent him from consistent double-digit games in tackles.
CAL
TB Shane Vereen -- He has been a rugged ball-carrier for the Bears, and when he is effective, the entire offense is productive. He had outstanding games in the wins over Arizona and Stanford, but he was less effective against Washington except for a 50-yard run that accounted more than half his yardage that day.
CB Syd'Quan Thompson -- One of the top cover corners in the country, Thompson shuts down one side of the field. That's assuming he's recovered from an ankle injury that limited his playing time in the final two regular-season games. Cal will try to match him on Utah WR David Reed whenever possible.
LB Mike Mohamed -- Although he did not have a very good game against Washington, Mohamed leads the Pac-10 in tackles and is one of few Cal defenders capable of making a game-changing play. The Bears will need him to help apply pressure on Utah freshman QB Jordan Wynn or pick off a Wynn pass, either of which he is capable of doing.
WR Marvin Jones -- Jones is the Bears' top receiver, both as a possession receiver and a deep threat. He leads Cal in virtually every receiving category and had six catches for 107 yards in the Dec. 5 loss to Washington. Riley seems comfortable throwing to Jones.
MEDICAL WATCH
UTAH
- Senior DT Kenape Eliapo, who missed three games down the stretch with an eye ailment, is on schedule to return to practice on Dec. 16, meaning he'll be available for the bowl game.
CAL
- TB Jahvid Best has missed the past three games with a concussion, and it's unlikely he will start in the bowl game, although no determination has been made. Best, a junior, could turn pro after this season, so he may have already played his final game at Cal. A lot will depend on how the NFL views Best now. He was projected as a first-round pick before the latest injury.
- CB Syd'Quan Thompson, the Bears' best defensive back, re-injured his sprained ankle against Washington on Dec. 5 and missed much of that game. He probably will play in the Poinsettia Bowl, though.
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TSX PICKS: Utah 30-20
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